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Post subject: Martian or Anyone Else Want to Chime in on this One?
Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 10:57 pm
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Do any of yall have any kind of experience with a Vintage RI or HR Strat or just a set of 57/62 in another Strat. I'm very curious when it comes to these pups but all the reviews I've read are mixed. I know I can hear them on Youtube but I'd rather play them myself. They only problem with that is the 45min-1 hr long drive. Anyway, thanks guys for your opionions. :D

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Post subject: Re: Martian or Anyone Else Want to Chime in on this One?
Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:27 am
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I presume you are talking about pickup sets. Actually, and with all humility, I have extensive experience with all of them. I'll give you my general impressions of them and aside from this, you'd have to ask me any additional specifics about each that you'd like to know.

The Vintage RI pickups obviously are made to emulate Pre-CBS type pickups in terms of general output and tonality, arrived at by modern pickup building technique. They capture some interesting and desirable qualities and do a good job if one isn't looking for a year specific or elevated output pickup. I do find them a touch noisier than many others though, presumably due to their slightly lower than average for their ilk output. The closest pickups I can compare them to are those in a 1961 Strat I used to have but with the VRIs being weaker yet having better string separation, believe it or not. Remember, just because it is older, it doesn't automatically follow that it is better. The VRIs are alright but there's stuff missing or maybe a better way to put it is, there's more desirable Strat pickup sets to be readily had.

The Duncan Designed HR stuff to me sounds like any other nondescript, imported pickup - totally generic and merely fulfills the requirements of a pickup. By this I mean, select any "B" grade, imported guitar with similar OEM pickups and plug it in. A/B it with the HRs and the tonality will be virtually identical. I would use them only if I didn't have a choice.

The 57/62s to me are an excellent, versatile set of pickups. Here too, made to emulate Pre-CBS type pickups in terms of general output and tonality, accomplished by the original Pre-CBS building techniques (minus the scatter winding, of course). Ironically, they certainly don't sound like any 57 Strat I've ever heard; believe it or not, the VRIs come closer but certainly not close enough. I know the 57/62s are replicated from a 1963 set and to my ear, this is a most accurate reproduction. I can only presume that Fender 'double named' them so they wouldn't have to replicate a '57 set to go with their '57 RI Strats. I've personally used this set over many years in many Strats and have never been at a loss for tone or dynamics. They are truly a workhorse set, among some of the best traditional Strat pickup sets out there which one can have utmost confidence in.

As always, the above is IMO, YMMV.

DeadAhead wrote:
Do any of yall have any kind of experience with a Vintage RI or HR Strat or just a set of 57/62 in another Strat. I'm very curious when it comes to these pups but all the reviews I've read are mixed. I know I can hear them on Youtube but I'd rather play them myself. They only problem with that is the 45min-1 hr long drive. Anyway, thanks guys for your opionions. :D

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Post subject: Re: Martian or Anyone Else Want to Chime in on this One?
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 8:28 am
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Martian wrote:
I presume you are talking about pickup sets. Actually, and with all humility, I have extensive experience with all of them. I'll give you my general impressions of them and aside from this, you'd have to ask me any additional specifics about each that you'd like to know.

The Vintage RI pickups obviously are made to emulate Pre-CBS type pickups in terms of general output and tonality, arrived at by modern pickup building technique. They capture some interesting and desirable qualities and do a good job if one isn't looking for a year specific or elevated output pickup. I do find them a touch noisier than many others though, presumably due to their slightly lower than average for their ilk output. The closest pickups I can compare them to are those in a 1961 Strat I used to have but with the VRIs being weaker yet having better string separation, believe it or not. Remember, just because it is older, it doesn't automatically follow that it is better. The VRIs are alright but there's stuff missing or maybe a better way to put it is, there's more desirable Strat pickup sets to be readily had.

The Duncan Designed HR stuff to me sounds like any other nondescript, imported pickup - totally generic and merely fulfills the requirements of a pickup. By this I mean, select any "B" grade, imported guitar with similar OEM pickups and plug it in. A/B it with the HRs and the tonality will be virtually identical. I would use them only if I didn't have a choice.

The 57/62s to me are an excellent, versatile set of pickups. Here too, made to emulate Pre-CBS type pickups in terms of general output and tonality, accomplished by the original Pre-CBS building techniques (minus the scatter winding, of course). Ironically, they certainly don't sound like any 57 Strat I've ever heard; believe it or not, the VRIs come closer but certainly not close enough. I know the 57/62s are replicated from a 1963 set and to my ear, this is a most accurate reproduction. I can only presume that Fender 'double named' them so they wouldn't have to replicate a '57 set to go with their '57 RI Strats. I've personally used this set over many years in many Strats and have never been at a loss for tone or dynamics. They are truly a workhorse set, among some of the best traditional Strat pickup sets out there which one can have utmost confidence in.

As always, the above is IMO, YMMV.

DeadAhead wrote:
Do any of yall have any kind of experience with a Vintage RI or HR Strat or just a set of 57/62 in another Strat. I'm very curious when it comes to these pups but all the reviews I've read are mixed. I know I can hear them on Youtube but I'd rather play them myself. They only problem with that is the 45min-1 hr long drive. Anyway, thanks guys for your opionions. :D


Hey Martian between a set of 57/62's or CS 54, which one would you choose?


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Post subject: Re: Martian or Anyone Else Want to Chime in on this One?
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 8:38 am
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imc_1121 wrote:
Hey Martian between a set of 57/62's or CS 54, which one would you choose?


The CS 54s.

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